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Today, August 26, is Women's Equality day! On this day, the Nineteenth Amendment was certified. Today and everyday, may we recognize the overwhelming contribution of women to every aspect of society and continue to the fight for the total social, economic, and cultural equality of women. Read more about the history of Women's Equality day on the National Women's History Alliance 's website.
Enjoy this week’s Sinister Snapshot, Sinister Wisdom’s biweekly newsletter with a featurette and lots of links. If you have suggestions for future editions of Sinister Snapshot, send them to info@sinisterwisdom.org.
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Leslie Cagan: Antiwar Activist, Climate Organizer, Lesbian
written by Sydney Schmidt
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Leslie Cagan speaking at the People's Climate Movement 2018 kick-off event in New York City.
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This summer marked the 40th anniversary of the June 12, 1982, March for Nuclear Disarmament and Human Needs. In this week’s Snapshot, Sinister Wisdom honors lesbian activist Leslie Cagan, who organized this historic event and has an important connection to Sinister Wisdom.
The largest mobilization in U.S. history, the March for Nuclear Disarmament saw an estimated 550,000 protestors shut down mid-Manhattan. Yet the day could not have occurred without months of planning and the collaboration of various organizations and groups. The day is a historic achievement not just for the sheer amount of people who showed up to support the event, but for the continued work that occurred in years following.
Cagan’s activism, of course, is not limited to serving as the lead coordinator of the June 12 event. A life-long activist, Cagan’s work spans not just nuclear disarmament, but the antiwar movement during U.S. involvement in Vietnam, LGBT rights, and women’s rights. Cagan previously served as national coordinator of United for Peace and Justice and as co-chair of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, both organizations which she aided in founding.
Cagan was also involved in the Black Panther Party and protested the incarceration of Party member Mumia Abu-Jamal. In 1987, she served as co-chair for the 1987 Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. She has spoken in several documentaries including We Are Many (2014), Disruption (2014), and How to Power A City (2022).
Leslie recently spoke at the opening and closing sessions of the 40th anniversary online event held by the June 12 Legacy Committee. The event included sessions on race, class, and nuclear weapons, as well as disarmament education, impacts on climate, arts and activism, and a discussion of how to continue this important work. Recordings of each session of the event can be found online at june12legancy.com.
Leslie Cagan was the partner of Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz until her death on July 10, 2018. Kaye/Kantrowitz edited Sinister Wisdom from 1984 until 1987.
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Join Sinister Wisdom virtually for Reclaiming Archives: A Conversation between Caitlin Abadir-Mullally and Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz about archives, race, sexuality, and more on August 30. Register here. Check out our events page for more lesbian fun.
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Join Sinister Wisdom and Charis Books and More on September 20 for a reading from Big Girl with author and Sinister Wisdom board member Mecca Jamilah Sullivan. She will be in conversation with Regina Bradley. Register here. This event is co-sponsored by Charis Books and More and will take place both in person and on their Crowdcast Platform.
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On September 27, Sinister Wisdom book club will discuss Big Girl. The event will include a special thirty minutes with the author Mecca Jamilah Sullivan! Register here.
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This fall, Ellen Bass is offering a new poetry craft talk series! She’ll be joined by guest poets Ada Limón, Chris Abani, Diane Seuss, Donika Kelly, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Jane Hirshfield. Topics include: the Epistolary Poem, the Modern Elegy, the Sonnet, Transforming Trauma into Art, Metaphor: A Deeper Investigation, and Silences in Poetry.
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Pre-order the Sinister Wisdom 2023 Calendar: Revolutionary Optimism Lesbian Futures today! Each month is represented by a high-quality print of passionate lesbian art that speaks to "Revolutionary Optimism."
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Read about Nona Willis Aronowitz’s journey of sexual liberation in conversation with women’s liberation thinkers and Lesbians like June Arnold and Sinister Wisdom board member Cheryl Clarke.
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An article in the Daily Beast highlights a documentary about the Gateways, “the most famous lesbian club in the world,” in West London. Gateways Grind, narrated by Sandi Toksvig, highlights the club's legacy through interviews with patrons and its original owner.
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If you would like to support Sinister Wisdom's thriving lesbian community, please consider donating or subscribing. Your support is vital to our mission of profiling, supporting, and nurturing lesbian culture as well as providing educational resources to women and lesbians. Thank you to our sustainers for supporting the advancement of lesbian art and culture!
Curated with community, history, and an understanding that every present moment is a nexus of many pasts. May these stories of queer culture inspire, enthuse, and rouse you to lesbian actions. We hope you've enjoyed the fifteenth installment of Sinister Snapshot! Have a lovely weekend.
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